A FASCINATING look through Birkdale’s past is promised at an exhibition starting today at the Botanic Gardens Museum.

A FASCINATING look through Birkdale’s past is promised at an exhibition starting today at the Botanic Gardens Museum.

Items from the last century-and-a-half of the village’s history will be on display, with its lead curator – Ralph Gregson MBE – looking forward to a celebration packed with “human interest”.

“We have had a tremendous public reaction, with items loaned from people living as far away as near Preston,” said Mr Gregson, founder of Birkdale Civic Society, the 25th anniversary of which the exhibition celebrates.

Exhibits will take in Birkdale’s business, educational and transport heritage, including photographs from the esteemed Bradley Collection.

Among the wealth of memorabilia will be items from the Palace Hotel in Palace Road, which was demolished in the post-war era.

And correspondence from the old private school at 12 Aughton Road gives a fascinating insight into schooldays long gone.

Mr Gregson said: “It will be an excellent exhibition where people can spend an hour or two reminiscing and being brought up to date with the wonders of Birkdale.”

l Admission is free to the exhibition, which runs until Sunday, October 14. The museum is open 11am-3pm on weekdays (closed Mondays) and 11am-4pm at weekends.

l For a full feature on the exhibition, don’t miss next Friday’s ‘Southport Visiter’.